Frosio 04 Materials for construction and design.pptVIP

Materials for construction and design Iron its alloys Aluminium its alloys Copper its alloys Zinc Titanium Concrete Selecting construction material A number of factors may come into consideration when deciding on which material one should use to construct an object, such as: Its strength (to carry weight) Its flexibility (to handle vibration / movements) Its weight (to move / handle the object) Its ability to be formed into the required shape Its durability (against environmental conditions) Its need for maintenance work The cost of the material Iron vs. Steel Pure iron (Fe) has insignificant use for construction Iron alloyed with carbon and smaller amounts of manganese and silicon is however the most widely used metallic construction material, called Steel Carbon steel (also called mild steel or unalloyed steel) has a carbon content of up to 1.3% Cast iron has a carbon content of 2 – 4% Cast iron is brittle, and cannot be forged Different types of steel Plain Carbon Steels, iron with less than 1% carbon. Subgroups: Low, less than 0.3% carbon, called mild steel Medium, 0.3 – 0.45% carbon, increased hardness High, 0.45 – 0.75% carbon, difficult to weld Very high, up to 1.5% carbon, for tools, springs, etc. Low alloy Steels: iron with less than 0.25% carbon (often below 0.15%), with alloying elements totalling only 2 – 3% percent Typical alloy elements include nickel, chromium, molybdenum, manganese and silicon, which add strength at room temperature and increases low-temperature toughness. High alloy Steels: mostly called stainless steel, with alloying elements totalling 15 – 30% Containing at least 12% chromium, often in combination with high nickel content as well. Molybdenum is also often included. Carbon steel and low alloy steel The corrosion resistance of carbon steel and low alloy steel is more or less the same They are used to construct objects such as ship’s hulls, buildings, bridges, cars, etc. The strength of these steels is attributed to the carbon